1. Field of the Invention
THIS invention relates to an emitter tube suitable for an irrigation system.
2. Description of Related Art
The Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,312 discloses an irrigation system which includes a sprinker device for liquids comprises an emitter tube of resiliently flexible material having a base inlet end adapted to be mounted and a free outlet end adapted to be un-mounted, the arrangement being such that, with liquid flowing at a sufficient rate through the emitter tube, hydraulic forces exerted by the flowing liquid on the tube cause the outlet end continuously to move about. The emitter tube is mounted on a fitting which has a flow passage there through which leads into the emitter tube, the flow passage having, at its inlet end, a pair of grooves which lead tangentially into the flow passage. These tangentially arranged grooves impart a swirling motion to water entering the emitter tube. A pop-up sprinkler is also disclosed in which the emitter tube is mounted on a plunger which is displaceable in a barrel, the emitter tube protruding through an opening at the end of the barrel.
This system is further disclosed in the Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,552 which relates to a flow regulating device suitable for use in the above system.
The specifications of these U.S.A. patents are incorporated into this specification by way of reference. It has been found that the emitter tube which is disclosed in the above United States patents, lends itself to advantageous modifications for certain applications.
For example, in certain applications a greater radius of throw of irrigation water is desirable and it has been found that the emitter tube can be modified to achieve such a results.
Also for example a more even water distribution with a single sprinkler as well as water distribution with sprinklers laid out on the standard group spacing could be achieved by modifying the emitter tube. Further for example where the size of the droplets of irrigation water is to be controlled, the emitter tube could likewise be modified to achieve such a result.